Count on Me
by thewitchofthewest
Summary: "You can count on me," he responded, and put his arm around her. How does Steve comfort Natasha when Clint is gone? How does Natasha help Steve through hard times? Clintasha but Stasha friendship. Based on the song "Count on me" by Bruno Mars.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey I'm sorry for starting a new story, but I had this really great idea in my head! IT IS CLINTASHA! ONLY STASHA FRIENDSHIP! I think it will be a one-shot, but who knows? Enjoy!**

* * *

Clint was on a solo mission. He wasn't scheduled to come back for two years. Natasha hated it. She hated being alone. She missed his comforting presence, the fact that he knew when to hug her or to leave her be. She wished he was here.

It was a Thursday night and the team, minus Clint, were sitting at the dinner table. Tony and Bruce were trying to explain to Thor and Steve the concept of phones. The only person not talking was Natasha. She was poking her food, a gloomy expression on her face. All she wanted to do was go to the gym and spar with Clint.

"Natashalie, what's wrong?" Tony asked. It was rare for Tony to express concern, but even more rare for Natasha not to talk. She almost always would be discussing types of weapons with Tony and Clint, or talking with Bruce about the places that he visited while escaping Ross, or even teaching Steve and Thor about the modern world.

"Nothing," she muttered. None of the other team members would understand her relationship with Clint. If only Clint were here. He would be cracking jokes and making everything so much better. She felt the stares of everyone at the table. Pushing her chair back, she stood up. "I'm not hungry," she mumbled. Placing her dishes in the sink, she escaped the room, heading toward the gym.

She needed to burn off some steam. Grabbing the tape for her hands, she slowly wrapped them. She walked over to the area of the gym that had the punching a deep breath, she began hitting the bag with all her strength. _Hit. Pull back. Hit. Pull back. Hit. Pull back._ It was a soothing routine. Hit after hit. Even when she felt the presence of a person walking into the gym, she continued to hit the bag. Finally, the visitor spoke.

"Don't worry, he'll come home," Steve said.

Finally, Natasha stopped. Breathing heavily, she turned around and saw him sitting on the bleachers. "How long were you waiting there?" She asked, only because she didn't know what to say.

He shrugged. "Five minutes or so."

She nodded, and began unraveling the white tape from her hands. When she was done, she gracefully stepped up onto the bleachers and took a seat next to him.

For a few minutes, they sat in a comfortable silence.

"How would you know about missing someone?" She asked. After thinking about what she said, she realized she was wrong. "Sorry, I forgot," she apologized.

"It's fine." He said simply.

As the night wore on, the talked. About everything. About Natasha and Clint's relationship, about the time before Steve was frozen, about Peggy, about the Red Room.

Natasha realized that although Steve couldn't fill the gaping hole that Clint made when he left, he made her feel better.

"Thank you," she said as she put her head on his shoulder. She could almost feel the smile on Steve's face.

"You can count on me," he responded, and put his arm around her.

Maybe the next few years wouldn't be so bad.


	2. Chapter 2

You'll always have my shoulder when you cry  
I'll never let go, never say goodbye  
You know...

You can count on me like 1,2,3 and I'll be there  
And I know when I need it  
I can count on you like 4,3,2 and you'll be there  
'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh yeah

* * *

Steve stood nervously outside Fury's office. He was called in because Fury needed to tell him something important. Taking a few deep breaths, he knocked on the door.

"Enter," came the deep voice of the Director.

Steve turned the knob and opened the door. Fury was sitting at his desk, typing on a computer.

"You called for me, sir?" Steve asked. He was calm on the outside, but inside, he knew something wasn't right. Butterflies danced in his stomach.

Fury looked up, and closed the computer. "Captain. I am so sorry," he sighed. It killed him to tell one of his best Agents (Steve became a SHIELD agent a few months after the New York invasion) this horrible news. "Peggy Carter was found a few weeks ago. She was 92 years old and was living in an apartment in Brooklyn. A few days after she was found, she passed away. She left a letter for you," Fury gestured to a folded piece of paper on the desk.

Steve froze. Peggy was alive, and he didn't get to see her in time? He felt like his heart was ripped right out of his body. He didn't know what to do. Vaguely, he could hear Fury continuing to speak, but he didn't pay attention. He _couldn't_ pay attention. "Thank you for telling me, sir," he choked out, on the verge of tears.

He grabbed the letter and hurried out of the room. Slamming the door as he left, he began to run, not caring about the countless agents he probably ran over. He sprinted through the hallways and out the main entrance. He ran and ran and ran until he reached an empty field. Throwing himself down on the ground, he finally let all the tears out. Sobs wracked his body and his plaid button down shirt became soaked with tears.

He couldn't believe that the love of his life, Peggy, died. He didn't even get to see her before she died. Why wouldn't Fury tell him that she was alive? Angry, devastated, wretched, and depressed, Steve almost forgot about the letter. Unfolding it, he began to read:

_Dear Steve,_

_I am so sorry we didn't get to see each other. I was heartbroken when you crashed the plane into the water. I felt like there was no reason to be alive anymore. Soon after, I quit the army. I lived a relatively quiet life in the suburbs. When Howard told me of an experiment that was supposed to test a new version of the super soldier serum, I jumped at the chance. It didn't work, though, and I continued to live a lonely life. I grew older, and married. I had 2 children, and named one after you. Recently, a man from SHIELD contacted me, and told me that you were alive. I was ecstatic, and I can't wait to visit you. I do hope you get this letter, and I hope to see you soon. I love you, Steve._

_Love,_

_Peggy_

Tears dripped onto the paper, smudging the ink. He broke down and cried his heart out. His heart ached from missing her. He curled up on the ground, crying until he drifted off into a deep sleep.

When he woke up, it was nighttime. He sat up, watching the stars and the moon light up the night sky. It seemed peaceful, however, it was ruined by the fact that Peggy died. Suddenly, he felt a presence near him. Turning his head, he relaxed when he saw Natasha sitting a few feet away from him in the grass.

"I am so so sorry," she whispered, as moved closer to him until she was sitting next to him. Natasha sat there for a moment before gently enveloping Steve into a hug. He held her tight as tears dripped down her back. They sat there the rest of the night, mostly in silence. Natasha knew better than to try talking to Steve. Instead, she let him cry and hug her, as she thought about losing Clint.


End file.
